Drilling apparatus



July l2, 1932. H. c. JoHANsEN DRILLNG APPARATUS Filed oct. 29, 1930 4Sheets-Sheet l July l2, 1932. H. c. JoHANsEN DRILLING APPARATUS FiledOct. 29. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 12,1932. H. c. JoHANsEN DRILLINGAPPARATUS Filed Oct. 29).l 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet' 3 July 12,l 1932.

H. C. JOHANSEN DRILLING APPARATUS Filed oct. 29. 1930 4 sheets-sheet 4Patented July V12, 1932 UNITED s'ra'rlazs PATENT OFFICE HARRY C.JOHANSEN, 01' MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA, ASSVIGNOR T0 SULLIVAN MOBIN- ER'YCOMPANY, A .OOIBPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS IDBILLING APPARATUSApplication led October 29, -1930. Serial No. 491,978.

This invention relates to drilling a paratus and more particularly, butnot exc usively, pertains to oil and gas well drilling apparatus of therota type.

An object of invention is to provide an improved drilling apparatus.Another object is to provide an improved drilling apparatus of therotary type especially adapted to use in oil and gas we drillin Afurther 1o, object is to provide an improve rotary drill wherein therotary table is driven through an improved mechanism and havingassociated therewith improved power operated feeding means whereby thegrief stem may be fed positively through the table. Yet another objectis to provide an improved rotary drill. having improved hydraulicfeeding j means for feeding the grief stem positively through the rotarytable and wherein the feeding means to be shifted laterally relative tothe rotary table to clear the latter for the usual rotary drillingoperations. A. further object is to provide an im roved oil and gaswelldrilling apparatus o the combined rotary and core drill type whereinseparate driving mechanisms are employed for rotating the griefystemduring the rotary and core drilling operations. A still further objectof this invention is to provide an improved drilling apparatus of therotary type .having improved rotation means whereby the drill stem maybe rotated at a plurality of predeterminednspeeds. A still furtherobject of this invention is to provide an 1mprovecT drillingadr-rparatus of the combined rotary and core ill type having separatedriving means for the drive rod and 1rotary xtable whereby the rotarytable and drive rod may be independently rotated. These and otherobjects will, however, hereinafter more fully appear. f I

In the accompanying drawings, there 1s shown for purposes ofillustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings, Y Fig. 1 is aside elevational'view of an illustrativeembodiment of the improved drilling apparatus, the hydraulic feedingmechanism being shown in a plurality of positions;

-ing shaft 10 of a plural speed transmission Fig. 2 is an enlarged planview of the apparatus shown in Flg. 1; 4

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view illustrating theimproved rotation mechanism;

. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional .ta-ken substantially online 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view illustrating the hydraulic transfermechanism for the `feedirig mechanism;

Fi s. 6 and 7 are transverse vertical sectiona views taken substantiallyon lines 6-6 and 7-7 respectively., of Fig. 3; 'f

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken substantlally on line 8-8 ofFig. 2; "65

Fig. 9 is 'a detail sectional view taken substantially on line 9-9 ofFig. 3; and

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on line 10-10 ofFig. 1.'

In this illustrative embodiment of the invention there is shown adrilling apparatus of the oil and gas well type generally comprising abase 1, a prime mover 2, transmission mechanism 3, rotation mechanism 4,and hydraulic feeding mechanismgenerallydes- I8 ignated 5. The drillbase 1 herein comprises parallel I-beams 6 suitably transversely` bracedand having mounted thereony at their forward ends parallel horizontalguide rails or tracks 7 on which the feeding mechanism 5 is slidablymounted as will later be described.

y Now referring to the improved driving mechanism for therotationmechanism 4 it will be noted that the power shaft 8 of the primemover 2 extends longitudinally of and midway between the I-beams 6 ofthe drill base and vis connected through spur gearing 9 to a horizontallongitudinally extend.-

mechanism indicated generally at 3. Secured to this shaft is a spur gear11 meshing with a spur gear 12 fixed to a parallel countershaft 13. Alsokeyed to the shaft 13 are three gears 14, 15 and 16 of different toothratio,.the gears 15 and 16 meshing with spur lgears 17 and 18respectively, journaled on a horizontal shaft 19 alined with the shaftl0. The pinion 14 meshes, as shown in Fig. 7 with an intermediate oridler gear 20 which in 100 turn meshes with al spur gear 21 likewisejournaled on the shaft 19. For selectively connecting the gears 21 and17 to the shaft 19 there is rovided a double ended jaw clutch 22 spllnedto the shaft 19 and connectible with clutch teeth carried by the gearsrespectively. A similar double ended clutch element 23 is splined to theshaft 19 for connecting the gear 18 thereto or for connecting the shafts10 and 19 directly together. The sliding clutch elements 22, 23 areprovided with usual shipper mechanism 24, as shown in Fig. 6, and thisshipper mechanism is operated through usual connections by a selectivegear shift lever 25 (Figs. 2 and 3). It

will thus be seen that when the shafts 10 and 19 are connected directlytogether the latter is driven at la relatively high speed, while uponconnection of the gears 17 and 18 to the shaft the latter is drivenselectively at different relatively slower speeds. Upon connection ofthe gear 21 to the shaft 19 reverse rotation of the shaft is effected.This transmission mechanism is of a usual design and the gears thereofare housed within a casing 26 supported by transverse frame members 27secured at their ends to the I-beams 6 of the drill base. In the presentconstruction, fixed to the forward end of the shaft 19 is a clutchelement 28 which is connectible by a sliding clutch element 29 to aclutch element 30 secured to a shaft 31 alined with the shaft 19 andlikewise journaled in the transmission housing. The means for shifting`the clutch element 29 comprises, as shown in Fig. 9, a shipper yoke 32fixed to a transversely arranged operating rod 33 having a usualoperatin handle 34. The shaft 31 is connected by a exible coupling oruniversal joint 35 to a shaft 36 in turn connected through a flexiblecou ling or' univeral joint 37 to a shaft 38. Al rotary table generallydesignated 39 is arrangedv at a low level between the sides of the drillbase and herein comprises a base frame 40 secured to the I-beams 6 ofthe drill base. Rotatably mounted within this base frame is a largebevel gear or rotary table 41 and the shaft 38 has fixed there-v to abevel pinion 42 meshed with and driving the bevel gear 41. This rotarytable is horizontall v disposed and journaled on ball thrust bearings 43suitably supportedwithin the base frame. cured to the rotary table is amember 44 herein in the form of a two-part or 'split bushing f.,havingacentral square tapered opening 45 which receives wedgeshapedfdrive members o'rwslips 46.` As clearly shown in Fig. 3 the slips46 cooperate to form a central square opening 47 through which the usualsquare grief or drill stem 48 extends, the slips 46 engaging, and uponrotation of the table,`driv ing the grief stem 48 as Will laterbedescribed. It is obvious that the wedge shaped slips 46 carried withinthe rotary table may Supported within and sebe of any desired form andthat wedge shaped jaws with teeth or any suitable de'- vices may besubstituted for those disclosed, for instance jaws of the type adaptedto grip the stem and prevent sliding movement thereof through the table.that grief stems of differently shaped cross sections and slipscooperating to form differently shaped openings may be readilysubstituted for those disclosed.

Now referring to the mechanism# for effecting rotation of the grief stemwhen the rotary table is disconnected from its drive, attention isdirected to the fact that secured to the shaft 19 at the rear of theclutch element 28 (see Fig. 3) is a bevel gear 50 meshing with a bevelgear 51 keyed to a horizontal transversely extending shaft 52. Thisshaft is connected by a coupling 53 to an alined shaft 54 extendinglaterally through an aperture 55 in the side of the drill base. Thisshaft has keyed thereto a bevel gear 56 meshing with a bevel gear 57 inturn keyed to a horizontal shaft 58 extending longitudinally along oneside of the drill base. The adjacent ends of the shafts 54 and 58 arejournaled within a housing 59 secured to the drill base and in which thebevel gears 56 and 57 are enclosed. Surrounding the shaft 58 is a hollowshaft 60 suitably journaled within a housing 62 secured as shown in Fig.4, to an element of the feeding mechanism as hereinafter described.Keyed to this hollow shaft 60 is a bevel gear 63 meshing with a bevelgear 64 fixed to a vertical shaft 65. It will herein be noted that theshaft 60 is free to move relative to the shaft 58 so that when thefeeding mechanism is shifted laterally on its guides the gears 63 and 64are maintained alwaysI in mesh. This shaft is connected by a coupling 66to a shaft 67 in turn connected by a coupling 68 to an alined shaft 69.vFixed to the shaft 69 at the upper end thereof is a spur pinion 70driving through an intermediate gear 71, a large spur gear 72 keyed at73 to a tubular shaft 74 suitably It is also evident journaled inanti-frictiony bearings carried lshaped drive rod 77 extends. Carried atthe `lower end of the drive rod 77 is a usual bottom drillchuck 78 ofthe jaw type having usual-chuck jaws 79 adapted to grip the grief stem48 to connect positively the latter to the drive rod 77. As shown inFig. 8 the hollow shaft 60 is connectible in driving relation with theshaft 58 by means of a sliding jaw clutch 80 splined at 81 to the shaft58 and having clutch teeth connectible to the clutch teeth formed on theshaft 60. The sliding clutch member 80 is provided with a usual pivotedshipper lever 82 pivotally mounted at 82a on a bracket 83 attached tothe drill hase. Carrizal within this bracket is an antifriction bearing84 in which the forward end of the shaft 58 is journaled. It will thusbe seen that when the clutch 29 is disconnected and the shafts 58 and 60are connected in driving relation by the clutch the grief stem 48 may berotated independently of the rotary table 39.

The improved feeding mechanism 5 comprises parallel vertically disposedcylinders disposed, when in the position shown vin Fig. 4, atoppositesides of the rotary table 39. The cylinders 85 are provided withupper and lower heads 86 and 87 and the cylinder parts are maintained inassembled relation by means of tie bolts 88. Secured by bolts 89 to thelower c linder heads 87 is a trans-` verse frame mem er 9() supported bysliding shoes 91 engaging the guideways or tracks 7. The housing 62,above referred to, is secured to the Vframe 90. Disposed within each ofthe cylinders 85 is a feed piston 92 secured to parallel piston rods 93.These pistons rods extend upwardly through suitable stuiing boxescarried by the top cylinder heads and are secured at 944 to a cross arm95 vextending transversely across the tops of the feed cylinders andsupporting a usual thrust head 96. This thrust head comprisesanti-friction bearings 97 rotatably supporting a. flange 98 secured tothe drive-rod 77. As shownv in Fig. 4 the gear housing 75 is secured byscrews 99 to the top heads 86 of the feed cylinders. Fluid underpressure may be admitted in any suitable manner to the feed cylinders 85to effect movement of the feed pistons. It will thus be seen that as thedrive rod 77 is rotated it may at the same time be fed axially by thehydraulic feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism may be locked to theguide rails by means of clamping bolts 100 carried by the sliding shoes91 and having hook shaped lower ends underlying the treads of the rails.When these bolts are tightened the sliding shoes are clamped in positionto the rails.

To facilitate control of the grief stem there is provided at the upperend of the drive rod 77 a top chuck 101 comprising a casing 102 carryingwedge shaped chuckjaws 103 adapted to connect the grief stem 48. Themeans for actuating these chuck jaws comprises an annular member 104connectedthrough links 105 to the chuck jaws. Cooperating with thegrooved periphery of the member 104 is ashipper lever 106 pivoted at 107on a screw to the top of the cross arm 95 and this shipper lever isprovided with a usual operating andle 108.

The means for shifting the feeding mecha` tached at their ends to theI-beams 6 ofthe drill base. In the present construction the cylinder 109extends longitudinally above the transmission mechanism 3 although it isevi dent that the cylinder may be arranged in various positions asdesired. Reciprocably mountedl in this cylinder as shown 1n Fig. 5 is apiston 111 having a piston rod 112 pivotally connected at 113 to atransverse member 114 in turn attached in a suitable manner to thesliding shoes 91 on which the feeding mechanism is mounted. Fluid underpressure may be supplied to the cylinder 109 through a sup ly hose 115and pipe connections 116 un way valve 117.

When it is desired to operate the apparatus as a rotary drill using therotary table yas the means for rotating the grief stem 48, the clutch 80is disconnected, thereby disconnecting the drive rod 77 from its drivingmechanism. The clutch 29 is then connected and the rotary table 39driven at any desired speed through the plural speed transmissionmechanism 3 by the prime mover 2. The grief stem 48 is fed through thetable in the usual manner by the hoisting mechanism or draw works of thedrilling apparatus in accordance with the usual rotary practice. Duringstarting of the hole or when it is desired to feed the grief stem at acontrolled speed the feeding mechanism 5 is shifted from the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 1 to the full line position in that figurewherein it overlies the rotary table. The bottom chuck 78 is then set,connecting the grietl stem 48 to the hydraulic. Upon admission of fluidunder pressure to the cylinders 85 of the er the control of a usualfour-v feeding mechanism the grief stem 48 may be Y i fed upwardly anddownwardly through the rotary table as desired. If it is desired toclear the table for the usual rotary drilling operations, the feedingmechanism is again shifted to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1.When it is desiredto operate the drilling apparatus as a standard coredrill, the clutch 29 is released, disconnecting the rotary table 39 fromits drive. The clutch 80 is then connected, connecting the shafts 58, 60in driving relation, thereby connecting the drive rod 77 to the primemover through the plural speed transmission mechanism 3 and the geartrain including the large spur gear 72 fixed to the drive rod rotationmember 74. The bottom chuck 78 is then set to connect the grief stem 48to the drive rod 77 and .the grief stem is fed upwardly and downwardlyas it is rotated by the member 74 at a controlled rate by the hydraulic.The topv chuck 101 is operated to hold the grief stem 48 duringadjustment thereof, and when the bottom chuck 78 is released, and undercertain conditions, cooperates with the bottom chuck in the drive of thegrief stem in a manner well understood in the art. The thrust head 96supports the weight of the drill stem and may if desired be connectedsimultaneously to the prime mover to act simultane.

ously as the rotation means for the grief stem 48, this being highlydesirable when difficult drilling conditions are encountered and apowerful rotation is necessary.

As a result of this invention it will be noted that an improved rotarydrilling apparatus is provided having improved positive feeding meanswhereby an extremely sensitive feed may be obtained, thereby enablingthe rotary drill to be used with a standard diamond core bit. It willfurther be noted that an improved hydraulic feeding mechanism isprovided especially adapted to use with a standard rotary drill. It willfurther be noted that by the provision of the separate rotationmechanisms for the grief stem it is possible for the drilling apparatusto operate either as a standard rotary or. a standard core drill, therotation mechanisms being operable wholly independently of each other,although if desired may be operated simultaneously to obtain a morepowerful rotation under diflicult drilling conditions. It will stillfurther be noted Athat by the provision of a `guideway on which thehydraulic feeding mechanism is mounted it is possible to shift thefeeding mechanism laterally to clear the rotary table for the usualrotary drilling operations. These and other uses and advantages of theimproved drilling apparatus will be clearly apparent to those skilled inthe art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form whichthis invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that theinvention may be modified and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent is: A

1'. In a drilling apparatus, a grief stem, a plurality of rotationmechanisms for said grief stem for rotating the latter in the samedirection at a drilling speed during drilling, a prime mover, and meansfor independently connecting said rotation mechanisms to said primemover.

2. I d 'llin a aratus a ief stem al n a r1 g pp gr "d grief stemthereto, arotary table for rotating plurality of rotation mechanisms forsai grief stem for rotating the latter at a drilling speed duringdrilling, a prime mover, and means for independently or simultaneouslyconnecting said rotation mechanisms to said prime mover.

3. In a drilling apparatus,a rotary table, a grief stem rotated thereby,a prime mover, a supplemental rotation means for said grief stem forrotating the latter at a drilling speed during drilling, and means forindependently connecting said rotary table and supplemetal rotationmeans to said prime mover.

4. In a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a grief stem rotatedthereby, hydraulic feeding means for the grief stem, means independentof said rotary table for rotating said grief stem at a drilling speedduring drllling, a prime mover, and means for connecting said rotarytable and said separate rotation means to said prime mover.

5. In a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a grief stem rotatedthereby, and mechanism independent of said table for rotating said griefstem at a drilling speed during drilling.

6. In a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, power devices for rotatingsaid table atdifferent predetermined drilling speeds during drilling, agrief stem rotated by said table, yand devices separatefrom said tableand operable independently of the latter for rotating said grief stem atsimilar speeds during drilling.

7. In a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a prime mover, a pluralpredetermined speed transmission mechanism driven thereby, a rotationmember connected to said grief stem for rotating the latter duringdrilling independently of said rotary table, and means for independentlyconnecting said rotary table and said rotation member in drivingrelation with said transmission mechanism.

8. In a drilling apparatus, a grief stem, hydraulic feeding means forsaid grief stem, and mechanism for rotating said grief stem including arotation member disposed relative to said grief stem above the point ofconnection thereof with said feeding mechanism and through which saidgrief stem extends and a rotary table disposed below said rotationmember.

9. In a drilling apparatus, a grief stem, rotation means thereforincluding a. drive rod, drive rod rotation means, and a chuck carriedbylsaid drive rod for connecting the grief stem thereto, hydraulicfeeding mechanism by which said drive rod is rotatably supported, andmeans for rotating said grief stem at a drilling speed when said chuckis released.

10. In a drilling apparatus, a grief stem, rotation means thereforincluding a drive rod, drive rod rotation means, and a chuck carried bysaid drive rod for connecting the said grief stem, and hydraulic feedingmechanism by which said drive rod is rotatably supported for feeding thegrief stem during rotation thereof by either said drive rod or saidtable and including parallel feeding devices between which said driverod extends.

11. In a drilling apparatus, a drill basev -presenting a guideway, arotary table on said base, hydraulic feeding means movable along saidguideway relative to said table, a grief stem, means for connecting saidgrief stem to said hydraulic feeding means, and means for rotating 'saidgrief stem including a prime mover, carried 'by said drill base, arotation membercarried' by said feeding means, and

. driving connections between said prime mover and said table androtation member.

13. In a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a drill stem rotatedthereby,`hydraulic feeding means for the stem including parallel feedcylinders and pistons contained in said cylinders, a housingsupported'by said cylinders at the upper ends thereof, and meansseparate from said table for rotating said drill stem including arotation member joury naled within said housing and through which thedrill stem extends.

14. In a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a drill stem rotatedthereby, hydraulic feeding means for the stem including parallel feedcylinders and pistons contained` in said cylinders, a housing supportedby said cylinders at the upper ends thereof, means separate from saidtable for rotating said drill stem including a rotation member journaledwithin said housing and through which the drill stem extends, and powerdevices for rotating said member including a vertical shaft arrangedparallel with said feed cylinders.

15. In a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a drill stem rotatedthereby, hydraulic feeding means for the stem including parallel feedcylinders and-pistons contained in said cylinders, a housing supportedby said cylinders at the upper ends thereof, means separate from saidtable for rotating said drill stem including a rotation member journaledwithin said housing and through which the drill stem extends, and powerdevices for ro- -tating said member including a vertical shaft arrangedparallel with said feed cylinders, a shaft extending longitudinally ofsaid apparatus, and gearing connecting said shafts.

16. In a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a grief stem rotatedthereby, means independent of said rotary table for rotating the griefstem at a drilling speed during drilling, hydraulic feeding mechanismfor the stem including a hydraulic feeding device arranged adjacent oneside of said rotary table drilling operations.

and connections extending from said feeding device over the table forconnecting the grief stem to the hydraulic, and means whereby saidhydraulic feeding device may be shifted bodily laterally relative to therotary table to clear the latter for the usual rotary drillingoperations.

17. In a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a grief stem rotatedthereby, means independent of said rotary table for rotating the griefstem at a drilling speed during drilling, hydraulic feeding mechanismfor the stem inadjacent one side of said rotary table and connectionsextending from said feeding device over the table for connecting thegrief stem to the hydraulic, and'means whereby said hydraulic feedingdevice and said independent grief stem rotation means may be shlftedbodily laterally relative to the rotary table to clear the latter forthe usual rotary 18. In a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a griefstem rotated thereby, means independent of the'rotary table for rotatingthe grief stem at a drilling speed during drilling, positive feedingmechanism for the grief stem including power feeding devices disposedabove the derrick floor at opposite sides of the rotary table andbetween which the grief stem extends, said feeding devices arrangedalong the sides of the table and closely adjacent thereto, andhorizontal guideways at the sides of the rotary table on which saidpower feeding devices and said independent grief stem rotation means areslidably mounted for movement bodily laterally relative to the rotarytable to clear the latter for the usual rotary drilling operations.

19. In a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a grief stem rotatedthereby, means independent of the rotary table for rotatin the griefstem at a drilling speed during rilling, hydraulic feedin mechanism forthe grief stem including ydraulic feeding devices disposed above thederrick floor at 0pposite sides of the rotary table and between whichthe grief stem extends, said hydraulic feeding devices extendingadjacent the sides of the table, and horizontal guideways at the sidesof the rotary table on which said hydraulic feeding devices and saidindependent grief stem rotation means' are slidably mounted for movementbodily laterally relative to the rotary table to clear the latter foradjacent the latter and` connectible to the cluding a hydraulic feedingdevice arranged lso grief stem, and horizontalv guidewa s arranged atthe sides of the rotary ta le on which said power feeding devices of thefeeding mechanism are slidably mounted, said power feeding devices beingshiftable bodily laterally along said guideways to one side of therotary table to clear the latter for the usual rotary drillingoperations.

21. In a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a grief stem rotatedthereby, means independent of the table for rotating the grief stem at adrilling speed during drilling, a hydraulic feeding mechanism includinga feed cylinder arranged above the derrick floor at one side oftherotary table adjacent the table, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder,devices for connecting said piston to the grief stern, and a guidewayadjacent said' table for sliding said hydraulic feeding-mechanism andsaid independent grief stem rotation means bodily laterally to one sideof the n i table to clear the latter for the usual rotary drillinoperations.

22. n a drilling apparatus, a rotary table, a grief stem rotatedthereby, means independent of the table for rotating the grief stem at adrilling speed during drillingta hydraulic feeding mechanism forthe stemcomprising hydraulic feeding devices arranged above the derrick floor atthe opposite sides of the rotary table and connectible to the griefstem, the lower ends of said hydraulic devices arranged adjacent the topsurface of the table, and horizontal guideways on which said hydraulicfeeding devices and said independent grief stem rotation means areslidably mounted.

In testimony whereof I aiX my signature.

HARRY C. JOI-IANSEN.

